Dilated Lust
by TheFunkyDurian
Summary: He wanders through the streets of Great Britain, seducing women in need of the passion and desire he can thoroughly give. But upon laying his eyes on Hermione Granger, he is caught between the walls of love, which he had sworn out of his life long ago. hh
1. Perverse Obsessions

****

It was on the 10th of June that he first laid his eyes on her.

She was seated by the balcony, amongst crowds of gentlemen willing to take her hand in marriage. With the way her lips pursed at all of them, it was safe to assume that this was not a situation she had planned herself. He then wondered why he wasn't amongst them, trying with every ounce of confidence to catch her attention and win her heart.

But then, that was the point.

Because you see, falling in love wasn't in his vocabulary. It was a mere plague to him, which would eventually lead to desperation and loneliness. It was the serpent that tempted Eve to take a bite from the apple. It was the giant amongst the Philistines that was sent to attack a young man named David. It's the very root of evil amongst men, and he despised it. He had vanished love from his life completely, and merely sworn himself to a life filled with passionate desires and lustful renegades.

But in mere seconds, these thoughts vanished when she set her eyes on him.

A mixture of cinnamon and hazel brown met his, and he had sworn that the faintest hint of a blush had crept up her cheeks. Her eyes sparkled amidst the moonlight, shadowed by her prominent auburn locks that cascaded softly down her back. She didn't bother smiling, not even the slightest bit, before turning back to her eager audience.

It was all a part of the game he played. Women, as he had studied carefully, merely do not wish for marriages and children. They wish for lust-driven nights, filled with the reverberating screams of passion and desire, before waking up to find that their lover has already departed, and that their spouse had just arrived to greet them good morning. That was his perception of a woman, and many times, this has been proven true for him.

Most of the time, he was the lover.

"She has that effect on people. Men in particular." His gaze shifted quickly onto the person standing beside him. He grinned.

"Yes, I've noticed. I think the entirety of Bristol's finest men are up in that balcony with her." He mused. He tried not to look pulsed by the suspicious look his companion gave him.

"So this is evident proof that you're not a part of that elite group?" He chuckled.

"I'm my own group, Sirius." The air started to fill with chuckles as Sirius clasped him at the back.

"You never cease to amuse me, Harry. Never."

"And you should thank me properly by buying me a glass of whiskey while we're here." He quipped. Sirius grinned back at him, all the while making their way into the pub in front of them. Harry cast a passing glance at the balcony, only to find her looking back at him. Noticing his gaze, she looked away quickly, before turning her attention back to the red headed young man beside her, who seemed to be talking animatedly about something that was the least bit amusing to her.

He had much to learn, He thought.

Entering the pub, the two gentlemen were instantly greeted by an entrancing display of women, all of whom were lined just by the bar. Their frilly skirts landed just by their feet, yet their clear white shirts hiked all the way up to their bust line. The sheer fabric purposely displayed multiple pairs of plump breasts underneath.

Sirius nudged Harry with his elbow.

"What a night we'll have." He mused. Harry grinned back at him.

"Just you for tonight, Sirius. I'm on a temporary hiatus." Sirius looked at him in disbelief.

"Since when were you ever on hiatus?"

"I'll have you know, I've abstained from all the action ever since that night with Lady Sharmaine."

"Traumatizing, yes?" Sirius asked with amusement. Harry laughed at his remark.

"Quite the opposite, actually. Her aroma still lingers by the tips of my fingers, I wouldn't dare replace it just yet." He remembered that night vividly. She was just as lovely as a newly plucked rose from the King's garden. He remembered her cries amidst woes of pure ecstasy as he held her smooth back, which seemed to arch by his fingertips. She smelled of freshly ground cinnamon, and it intoxicated him as he threw her into gasping cries of pleasure. Her hands pressed tightly against his back, leaving a heavy mark that remained until his arrival back home. She was lovely, and simply breath taking.

"She must have been something." Sirius broke Harry out of his reverie, noticing his already dazed expression. Harry nodded simply.

"She was, indeed. She would stay imprinted in my mind forever."

"Had you ever pondered on the fact that she is merely a slave from the king's empire?" Harry took a sip from his glass.

"Never. Being the noble man that I am, I saved her from the pitfall that is slavery."

"And have you ever wondered if she had ever needed you for a longer period of time?" He answered quickly, and with no restraint.

"No. Because that time we shared was time well spent. That single moment can count as a whole eternity for her." Sirius shrugged at his words, immediately silenced as he took as sip from his own glass. With a loud pop, the glass landed onto the wooden counter.

"Well hello there." Harry felt her whisper by the nape of his neck. Turning around, he couldn't help but give a small smile.

"Alice!" He exclaimed, pulling her in for a small hug. She snickered loudly as her arms wrapped around his neck. Her blonde hair was tied neatly into a bun, adorned by a single tulip that lay still by the center. Her skirt fell just below her knees, accompanied by a simple peasant shirt that Harry assumed she had gotten from the flea market. She was still as gorgeous as he had last seen her.

"How have you been, handsome?" She teased. Harry grinned back at her.

"I've been doing well, thank you. And you?"

"I've been better. My husband's out with his friends again. So the moment I saw your shaggy black hair enter this bar, I knew I had to come by and say hello."

"How lovely of you."

"Ain't it?" The three laughed. She took a seat next to Harry, all the while ordering a whiskey for herself. They sat in silence for a while, taking in the different sounds that echoed through the pub. Men cheered and laughed in one corner, all the while being surrounded by a series of topless women. Their skirts hiked all the way up to their thighs, revealing the fishnet stockings they wore underneath. Alice smiled, catching Harry's attention immediately.

"What's got you so happy?" He asked her. She took a small sip from her glass before speaking.

"I'm just feeling nostalgic." She said, her eyes trailing towards the line of girls by the front. Harry smirked. Having known that Alice had transformed from a mere prostitute to a mother of three, he couldn't help but admire her. She met her husband in the same bar he was in, being a mere client to her. Such passion they had brought on that night sparked a love both had never discovered before.

"Did you enjoy it? Having that profession, I mean?" He suddenly asked. She chuckled.

"Bloody hell, no. I'm glad I got out of that predicament. It was hell at its finest. Every night was happy hour, it disgusted me." The three of them laughed once again.

"But do you miss it?" Sirius asked in the middle of chuckles. By this, Alice's face turned serious.

"Honestly, I do. I miss it so damn much. But if I were given a chance to do it all over again, they could kiss my arse." With that, the three of them raised their glasses, smiles tugging at the corners of their lips.

It was then that music started to fill the air, signaling the hour of dance. Harry watched as the women, including Alice, gathered around the center in a circle. Sirius couldn't help but nudge him endlessly, grinning madly as they both watched the spectacle.

The beat rose intensely, and all of them started to dance. Harry watched every single curve of every single one of them, staring at their hips as they swayed sensually with the music playing in the background. He adored every single one of them. The full mystery of a woman's natural physique was incredible. All of them looked gorgeous in his eyes, all of them containing the same desire; The same yearning he had studied for so many years. The same desire he had mastered to satisfy.

He watched as Alice twirled endlessly, her skirt billowing around her as it revealed her tanned legs underneath. Men cheered aloud as she landed on his lap gracefully, giving him a small peck on the cheek before continuing onto the dance floor once again. Harry smiled back at her as she swayed her hips fervently, small strands of her blonde hair falling out of her bun.

"Isn't she a fascinating piece of work?" Sirius spoke.

"Who, Alice?"

"Yeah, Alice. Her husband's a lucky man." At the far end, Alice threw a small wink at Sirius. Harry couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow.

"Do you fancy her, Sirius?" Harry asked suspiciously. Sirius face turned serious, and Harry noticed his troubled eyes.

"Yes, I do-" He stopped midway to take another sip from his glass. Harry watched as the perspiration started to build up by his forehead.

"But she's someone I cannot have." He said finally. Just then, the music halted, having the crowd roar in applause as the girls posed in finality. Harry and Sirius applauded slowly, seeing Alice bow just by the center before approaching them once again. With the new knowledge Harry had gained from Sirius, he couldn't help but feel a certain awkwardness now that Alice was around once again.

"That was jolly fun, wasn't it?" She exclaimed, her breath still hitching from her frenzied dancing. Harry glanced at Sirius, only to find him nodding simply. Noticing the sudden awkwardness, Alice quirked an eyebrow.

"What's gotten you two wankers in a slump?" They both gave a hearty laugh. By the corner of his eye, Harry saw Sirius give Alice a side-glance.

"Nothing, Alice." They answered in unison, mocking those of kindergarten students. Alice ruffled Harry's mane of hair before standing up and giving Sirius a small peck on the cheek.

"I've got to go, lads. My husband must be waiting. The children need to go to bed as well." With that, she waved goodbye before stepping out into the cold weather of Great Britain. Sirius drowned down his last glass, sighing as he felt it burn through his throat.

"How long has this been going on?" Harry inquired. Sirius shrugged in reply.

"Since the first time I met her." He mumbled slightly. Harry noticed the trouble in his eyes once again.

"Sirius, you can tell me anything." The assurance was evident in his tone, and he knew that Sirius trusted his words.

"I was a customer of hers." He said simply. Harry stared back at him in disbelief.

"I thought you said you met her at a market somewhere?"

"Yes, I did. That same night, I became her customer. She was my lover, I was her client." He held the glass to his lips, only to find it empty. Setting it down once again, he sat straight, facing Harry with droopy eyes. Harry could already smell his drunkenness.

"It was the way thing were, my boy. I envy you, actually. You never really get too attached with your women. I do. It's what makes it so hard to succumb to every night. It's what made it so hard to make love with her. She was amazing, Harry. She was just…incomparable. She was like a rose that I held within my fingertips. I could still bloody taste her, it hurts." Harry had never seen him so broken. His mentor and companion was, for the first time, at a loss for words.

"Mate, I'm sure there's other—"

"I'm a grown man, Harry. I've moved on. I'm not over it, but I've moved on to redder roses. Fresher ones, with less thorns." Cinnamon eyes flashed in his mind. The image of her auburn curls cascading her arched back, her lips slightly parted and swollen, and his face against the bare skin of her neck. He imagined her small moans against his lips, and her hands that clutched tightly onto his back as her legs wrapped around his waist, both of them within a thin layer of sweat, screaming in woes of pleasure and desire.

"Harry? Are you alright?" Harry looked quickly at Sirius, whose face seemed worried as he stared back at him.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just have a lot on my mind, is all."

"Who?" Sirius asked amusedly. He saw a smile tug at Harry's lips.

"No one in particular."

"Is it Hermione Granger?" Harry's head snapped towards Sirius direction too fast, that he heard the familiar cracking of Vertebrae by his nape. Sirius suppressed a chuckle.

"Harry, I love that you're starting to end your hiatus, but you must think long and hard about her. She's the King's daughter."

"Which is exactly what makes me want her even more."

"You go for those that are really hard to get, don't you?"

"It's what makes seducing more enjoyable. A noble man such as myself would say the same."

"How is it more enjoyable?"

"The thrill of hiding in the darkness of the dungeons, and laying her against the stone wall." Harry didn't notice his knuckles turn particularly white. The imagery in his head was too vivid for him to take. Sirius nodded in approval.

"Enjoyable it is. But please Harry, take my advice on this. She's not worth having you beheaded." Harry stood up, taking a last sip from his glass.

"She is, Sirius. She is worth more than my life itself. And I swear to you, I will have her swooning over me before no time."

**&**

_A/N: A new take on Harry and Hermione's relationship. I always saw him as a classic Cassanova/Don Juan. Having that said, this plot bunny came along. For the basic facts, they live in the chivalrous eras of Great Britain, where men rode in horses, and women basked in their own pride and sophistication. It was an arrogant time, really. As for Hermione's status, she is currently the heir to her father, who was mentioned to be the king of Great Britain that time. Thus, this makes her fragile. But a little more on that as chapters go on._

_Comments are greatly appreciated. Tell me what you think! O3O_


	2. Musings in the Dark

****

Hours have passed, and he remained still and silent beneath the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to approach her. Men have surrounded her the whole night, and it took until dawn for the last one, that single redhead, to leave her alone in peace. After which, she seemed so tired that her postured back slouched down lazily as she breathed a heavy sigh.

Harry suddenly felt his heart pump intensely.

Women usually had this effect on him, he concluded. It wasn't just a mere coincidence for him. The anxiety of actually approaching a woman, most of all by a stranger, isn't a very easy thing to do, especially if your intensions include a series of seductions.

With those thoughts swirling in his mind, he attempted to step out of the darkness.

"Rosa!" She called out groggily. Harry took a step back, hiding once again as a plump woman entered the room hastily. He huffed out the breath he'd been holding in for so long, a thin layer of perspiration evident on his forehead.

"Yes miss?" Rosa asked humbly. _A salve no doubt_, he thought. He assumed that she was in her mid-50's, noticing the multiple laugh lines and wrinkles that started to form on her face.

"Would you be a darling and fetch me my scarf, please? It's chilly outside, and a cold is the last thing I'd want to have right now." The smile that she wore at those moments somewhat made Harry more anxious than he already was. With a bow, Rosa exited hastily, her running footsteps reverberating loudly outside. Looking around the empty room she was in, Hermione leaned against the balcony, her back arching slightly as she took in the breeze of the new morning. Harry stared at her face for a period's time. The perfect symmetry of it made her lovelier than she already was.

"Be careful. You might fall." He suddenly spoke. Hermione looked back quickly, gasping upon the sound of an unfamiliar voice. She looked frantically around the room, only to find it dark and empty. She was suddenly fearful.

"Show yourself!" She said, a roughness in her tone. Inwardly though, she was shaking in fear.

Harry stepped slowly into the light, his steps fervent against the creaking wood. Hermione squinted her eyes at him, having only half of his face illuminated by the rising sun outside. He stood a safe distance from her, and she backed a few more steps for good measure.

"Who are you?" she demanded of him. He bowed slightly, his hands dipping by his stomach as he did so. She nodded back in respect.

"Harry Potter, your highness."

"Rubbish. Within the walls of a castle, I am royalty. Outside though, I am no more than a mere peasant." She scolded him. He glanced up at her from his perfect bow, an eyebrow quirking on his face.

"You are the least bit of a peasant, miss."

"Don't flatter me, _Sir Potter._" She replied hastily. Harry bent up properly once again, taking a single step towards her. She attempted to take one step back, yet she felt the rail of the balcony brush against her ankles. Harry gave a satisfied smirk, which she later on loathed.

"Miss, are you afraid of me?" She looked scandalized.

"Afraid? I, Hermione Granger, am afraid of you? Are you jesting me?"

"You have been stepping away from me ever since I introduced myself."

"I'm being cautious. You're a complete stranger."

"But you've seen me before, yes?" She frowned before hesitantly answering him,

"Yes, I have."

"But with what I'm seeing now, I assume that you think less of me?"

"I don't think less of anyone."

"Then how would you explain this?" He said, a smirk tugging at his lips. She took a moment to analyze the scene before her. It came to her mind that she _was _defensively leaning against the balcony, her face in a deep scowl as he stood meters from her, his hands folded neatly by his chest as a grin spread across his face. Her scowl softened slightly.

"You could not possibly blame a royalty for being suspicious of everyone. Every person is a threat. And by every person, I mean noble men like you."

"So you _are _suspicious of everyone."

"I did not say that."

"But you just did, Miss."

"Don't mess with my head, _Potter_. It was directed to you, not to Great Britain's entirety!" Her voice raised a decibel higher, and Harry merely smiled as she realized the unreasonableness of it. Harry saw the slightest traces of a blush creep to her cheeks.

"My apologies." She whispered, her breathing escalating slightly as he took a few more steps towards her.

"You know Hermione, why do you waste your time among those men?" He said under his breath. She frowned at his statement.

"Mind you, it's not a waste of time. And besides, it's none of your bloody business." She suddenly saw Harry chuckling, making her somewhat perplexed.

"What's so funny?" she asked, pulsed by his actions. He stopped momentarily, although left with a few traces of laughter.

"I didn't know that a refined lady such as yourself swears."

"Well…believe it." She replied, her chin pointing high as she huffed a breath. Harry adored her lack of cooperation. It made her every bit more alluring.

"So, you did not answer my question." He stated. She looked back at him.

"What question?"

"As to why you waste your time with hundreds of twats?" Her face morphed into a scowl once again.

"How rude of you! For you information, they are not twats! Actually, some of them are quite lovely. One of them is actually fairly attractive, and none of them-and I am thankful for this- isn't anything like you." Somehow, she had managed to say that in one breath, having that being a nice addition to her point. Yet, instead of seeing Harry pulsed, he seemed pretty calm by her insult.

"But my lady, you know nothing about me." He stated simply. Hermione furrowed her eyebrows at him.

"Oh, but you're very much predictable _Harry._"

"How so?" He loved this conversation. It amused him to no end.

"Oh, please. You go through streets seducing innocent young daughters and miserable wives before leaving them empty handed the morning after. You use your charm and wit, and all that other ruddy traits that come with the package."

"So I _am _witty and charming?" He asked, a grin forming on his face. Hermione squinted her face in confusion.

"No…I just added that for emphasis, is all."

"Really now?" Harry quirked an eyebrow. Hermione gave a sigh, her palm landing onto her forehead. She was usually great with these kinds of dialogues, and usually, she always had the last word. Although something about him piqued her curiosity. He was clever. He was _too _clever, however, that it irritated her.

"If your goal is to seduce the daughter of the king, than I hate to disappoint you, but that is never to happen! Your silly charms do not work with me." She exclaimed, slightly proud of her aggression. It was later on that she regretted saying such at all.

"Really…" Harry trailed off. He took hastened steps towards her, and she felt claustrophobic all of a sudden. She held her breath in, suddenly conscious of her appearance as he stood just inches away from her. He stare was intense, almost impenetrable, as she tried to avoid it by any means possible. He saw her hand clutch tightly onto the stone rail of the balcony, and noticed her hitched breaths by the movement of her chest. It rose gracefully, making his pupils dilate with desire. He would not touch her this time.

Teasing is a part of the game he played.

"What do you think you're doing…! Stop this…" She stuttered slightly. He could already see the thin layer of sweat forming by her neck. It always started that way.

"I would not do anything to hurt you, princess." He replied, keeping his voice in a low, bare whisper. The space between them was so minimal, that he felt her hot breath against his skin. She stood still, all the while having a hot blush creep all the way up to her cheeks. He leaned in slowly, yet tentatively, and he felt her breath stop short.

In a swift movement, he took a few haste steps back, before jumping over the balcony.

Hermione's eyes widened as she stifled a scream.

Leaning over, she found him balancing just by the windowsill underneath. She let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"What do you think you're doing!" She whispered fiercely at him.

"Just keep quiet and don't say a word!"

"What do you mean 'don't say a word'?"

"Just do as I say Hermione!"

"What?"

"Lady Hermione?" Hermione twirled around gasping, only to find Rosa holding onto the scarf she had asked for moments ago.

"Rosa! Yes…why are you here?" She asked innocently. Rosa quirked an eyebrow.

"You asked me to fetch your scarf, miss." Hermione glanced backwards once again, only to find Harry safely on the ground. He gave a small bow, with eyes intensely gazing at her, before walking briskly away. She hasn't been that befuddled ever since…birth, honestly.

"Miss?" Rosa asked once more. Hermione turned to her once again, with eyes slightly dazed as she stared at the scarf in her slave's hands.

"Oh. Thank you Rosa, but the heat has gotten the best of me. I wouldn't need that anymore. My it's hot in here, isn't it?" She said quickly. Rosa, feeling slightly annoyed, merely nodded in reply.

"Very well, miss. We must go. You shall have breakfast with your father, yes?" Hermione nodded, all the while nibbling on her bottom lip. As both of them exited the room, Hermione couldn't help but look back and wonder on what had just happened.

On the other side of the road, Harry's grin grew wide as he strode past London, feeling the satisfaction of a job well done. Halting a carriage, he rode quickly, before vanishing within the long and winding streets of Great Britain.

**&**

_A/N: Simple dialogue exchange between the two. It's too early to let something happen, obviously. This, my friends, is a brainchild of a slightly major writer's block, and a tv show obsession. It's ruddy unhealthy, believe me. _

_Other than that, good day loves 3_


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